Toledo Metropolitan Area Council

of Governments

February 2016

Prioritizing Vacant Urban Property for Green Infrastructure

SG477-2014 Final Report

This project was funded through the Lake Erie Protection Fund with

matching funds provided by members of theTMACOG Stormwater

Coalition. The LEPF is supported by the voluntary contributions of

Ohioans who purchase the Erie…Our Great Lake license plate featuring

the Marblehead lighthouse. www.lakeerie.ohio.gov

ABSTRACT

Lake Erie’s western basin and its tributaries have exhibited the effects from a variety of point and non-

point source pollutants. In most urbanized areas in the watershed, stormwater pollution is a primary

cause of impairment resulting in high pollutant and sediment loads and stream flashiness caused by

large volumes of stormwater running off of impervious surfaces. Toledo, Ohio at the mouth of the

Maumee River on the shores of Lake Erie has experienced the consequences of water quality issues,

most notably in 2014 when algae blooms caused microcystis levels that exceeded the Toledo Water

treatment plant’s ability to provide drinking water to over 500,000 of the region’s residents. The City of

Toledo also has concentrated blight in many areas with some neighborhoods experience vacancy rates

of over 40%. These vacant lots are plagued with overgrown weeds and Illegal dumping, which attract

pests, encourage crime, and contribute to cycles of neighborhood disinvestment. Through this project,

TMACOG hopes to influence water quality improvement and neighborhood revitalization by

encouraging the installation of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) on vacant blighted properties. GSI

manages stormwater by promoting infiltration and reducing runoff volumes. These practices treat

pollutants and prevent flooding while also providing beautiful spaces to live work and play. Well placed

investments in GSI can stimulate economic reinvestment, provide educational and job opportunities.

Using GIS analysis tools and in partnership with many local stakeholders, TMACOG has identified

opportunities to convert vacant lots from eyesores to community assets.

KEY FINDINGS AND OUTCOMES

The goal of the project was to provide priority locations that will be readily available for greening when

funds become available through funded public works projects, street improvements, and outside grants.

Vacant lots owned by the Lucas County Land Bank or the City of Toledo offer the greatest potential for

greening due to the ability of these public entities to implement greening without property acquisition

or easement. Although Lucas County has over 25,000 lots identified as “vacant” in the Auditor’s parcel

database, AREIS, only about 2,100 of these are publically owned. In all, Lucas County has about 410

acres of publically owned vacant lots, primarily centered in the City of Toledo. Through suitability

analysis, we found that 187 acres are highly suitable for green infrastructure, 53 acres are highly suitable

for smaller rain gardens, 211 acres are highly suitable for constructed wetlands, and 112 acres are highly

suitable for natural area restoration.

In addition to the identification of greening opportunities on vacant lots, an impactful outcome of this

project was the partnerships that were developed and strengthened over the course of the project

term. The effects of collaboration can already be seen in the pooling of resources, funding, community

expertise, and institutional knowledge to begin implementation of green infrastructure projects to

benefit communities and water quality.

TECHNICAL REPORT

Activities – The primary activities funded under this project were suitability analysis and mapping of the

vacant lots across Lucas County to identify underutilized land that can be used for green stormwater

management. The project also funded the installation of a green infrastructure practice to demonstrate

the process of taking an abandoned home through the process of demolition to an attractive, functional

green space.

Timeline – The project was completed according to the proposed timeline with the exception of the

installation of the proof of concept green infrastructure. Due to timing of site selection and growing

season constraints, the project end date was extended from March 2015 to December 2015. Below is a

summary of activities throughout the project term.

Quarter 1 activities (April-June 2014) – TMACOG invited participation and assembled a group

of stakeholders in the project advisory committee. Stakeholders included staff from USDA

NRCS, University of Toledo, the Lucas County Land Bank, the City of Toledo, Ohio EPA, Lucas

County Sustainability Office, American Rivers, and private consulting firms. The group continued

to meet throughout the project term to discuss project goals, priorities, and coordination of

project activities.

Quarter 2 activities (July-Sep 2014) –In-depth landscape scale analysis identified the most

suitable areas in Lucas County for various types and scales of green infrastructure, suitability

values were assigned to each vacant parcels and each parcel was further ranked based on its

property characteristics. This allowed us to identify green infrastructure practices that would be

feasible at each site.

Quarter 3 activities (Oct-Dec 2014) –The demonstration installation was planned for quarter 3,

but due to logistical constraints including the timing of site selection, property demolition

schedule, and the planting season window, a project extension was requested. This allowed

considerably more time to work on design and hire a contractor.

Work during this period also involved refining the suitably analysis for each practice on each

vacant parcel. The overall scoring was then simplified to a qualitative score that would more

easily be used by the general public and decision-makers alike.

Quarter 4 activities (Jan-March 2015) – Several deliverables were completed during this period:

1) Web-based mapping that includes links to additional resources for implementation.

Map and list of suitable sites for GI installation and lists of appropriate GI structures.

2) GIS data (shapefiles) were cleaned and simplified for ease of use by local agencies and

the Land bank.

3) A flow chart model of the process used to select sites

Additionally, during this period, TMACOG applied for additional funding from Partners for Clean

Streams to supplement work on the proof of concept installation.

Project extension activities (April –December 2015) -

TMACOG was notified of additional funding that PCS would offer to the proof of concept rain

garden. This period was spent designing a small bioretention area, working with residents on

additional green space features, and securing a contract for installation. The installation

occurred in November.

Project methods

Identify Green Infrastructure - The Advisory Committee also identified the types of green infrastructure

that should be considered for use on vacant lots. Due to the large number of possible green

infrastructure types, practices were aggregated based on general green infrastructure characteristics,

scale, and function. The analysis was conducted for the following main green infrastructure types:

Small Lot Greening – This group of practices is typically

best for small lots adjacent to occupied buildings to

manage rainwater from roofs, driveways and sidewalks.

This includes residential scale rain gardens, rain barrels,

downspout redirection to grassy areas, and other practices

with little engineering. Maintenance on these smaller

greening practices is no more intensive than what is

typically required for similar sized residential landscaping,

making them ideal for homeowners and community

groups.

Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) – These practices are best suited for redevelopment or retrofit

scenarios and pair well with commercial buildings, community centers, schools, and public infrastructure

improvements. These practices have the best outcomes when maintenance responsibility is identified

before installation. Bioretention areas,

bioswales, permeable pavements, and other

GSI practices are engineered to manage

rainwater from roofs, roads, parking lots, and

other impervious surfaces. GSI typically

requires more intensive maintenance than

smaller scale practices, so a specified

inspection and maintenance program along

with training is recommended.

http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/

Constructed Stormwater Wetlands – Although

stormwater wetlands are a type of GSI, they require a

different set of siting requirements from the other GSI

practices to accommodate larger footprints and to

ensure adequate base flow. They also typically manage

rainwater from a larger drainage area and are semi-

natural areas in that they can offer habitat benefits.

Like other GSI, constructed stormwater wetlands

require more intensive maintenance than smaller scale

practices.

Natural Area Restoration – Some of the largest

vacant parcels can be utilized for permanent

restoration of ecological function, maximizing the

landscape's natural ability to manage rainwater.

This type of greening includes the restoration of

natural meadows, floodplains, wetlands, stream

hydrology, and tree canopy and offers many

additional benefits beyond stormwater

management. Ecological restoration can also

include plans for parks, bike trails, and stream

access. The maintenance requirements are specific

to each area and require long-term commitment to

resource management and protection through conservation easements.

Process for Suitability Analysis

Identify site selection criteria – Lucas County has over 25,000 parcels coded “vacant” in the ARIES 2014

auditor’s property database and an additional 600 properties were slated by the Land Bank for building

demolition in 2015-16. Spatial analysis was used to help identify on which of the vacant parcels greening

would be feasible and necessary. Due to the need to have land in public ownership when opportunities

for funding green infrastructure arise, the advisory committee identified property ownership as the

most important factor in determining a lot’s suitability for greening. Other parcel characteristics such as

demolition status, lot size, and type of basement helped to identify the most immediate opportunities

for greening.

The group identified a list of additional landscape scale criteria important in site selection including

existing stormwater infrastructure, vacancy rates, imperviousness, soil types, flooding complaints, and

future land use plans (See Attachment 1 for complete prioritization criteria, ranking, and weights). A

comprehensive list was created and ranked for overall importance in decision-making. Criteria without

reliable data or that are generally not applicable to landscape scale decision-making were eliminated

from the analysis. Maps with many of the evaluation criteria are shown in the figures below.

Suitability Analysis – The suitability analysis was composed of both a landscape scale analysis and a

parcel analysis. The first steps in GIS analysis involved compiling data identified by the advisory

committee, visual inspection of data and aerial photos, and pre-processing of Lucas County Auditor’s

parcel data. The analysis was completed based on the ranking of criteria by the project advisory team

and the siting criteria found in the American Rivers Low Impact Development Manual for the Lower

Maumee and Ottawa River Watersheds and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Rainwater and

Land Development Manual.

Landscape scale analysis

In-depth landscape scale analysis utilized ArcGIS Spatial Analyst to process raster layers and to identify

the most suitable areas in Lucas County for the four types and scales of green infrastructure. Data

preprocessing involved converting all shapefiles to from a vector format to raster. All raster datasets

were then resampled to a 10 meter resolution.

Using the “Reclassify” function in ArcToolbox, the features of each dataset were assigned a criteria

ranking score on a 1-10 scale with 1 being the least suitable features and 10 being the most suitable. The

Arc GIS Map Algebra tool was used to combine the values of each layer at each point in space to provide

a suitability score using all data layers. A weighted mean was used based on each layer's relative

importance to the overall analysis. Attachment 1 details the scoring and weighting system for each

green infrastructure practice. Below is an example of an equation used to calculate overall landscape

suitability for bioretention areas:

landscape suitability for bioretention =

(future land use*0.08)+(proximity to catch basin*0.14)+(planned green

space*0.05)+(unimproved streets*0.11)+("storm sewer areas*0.11)+(hydrologic soil

group*0.08)+(imperviousness*0.14)+(vacancy rate*0.11)+(flood

complaints*0.11)+(floodplain*0.08)

Parcel scale analysis – After the landscape scale analysis was completed, the resulting suitability values

were assigned to each vacant parcel based on the mean suitability value across the entire parcel. Each

parcel was further ranked based on the characteristics of each individual parcel using weighted criteria

as in Attachment 1. These characteristics include location, size, and ownership of existing vacant parcels

and their spatial relationship to planned demolitions. Opportunities for parcel aggregation versus

spatially isolated vacant parcels was also considered in the parcel-scale ranking. The results identify

green infrastructure practices that would be feasible at each site.

Post-processing – The parcel suitability dataset required data cleanup to eliminate edge effect that

resulted in inconclusive suitability scoring around the edges of Lucas County and along the Lake Erie

shoreline. This resulted in the elimination of approximately 200 parcels, mostly along the shoreline.

Isolated parcels that were less than 0.01 acre were also eliminated due the inability to efficiently utilize

small parcels for green infrastructure.

Qualitative scoring and data sharing– Each parcel's numeric suitability score was then simplified to a

qualitative score that would more easily be used by the general public and decision-makers alike. Parcels

were ranked “high”, “moderate”, “marginal,” or “low.” The parcel data with their qualitative ranking

were then made available online using ArcGIS Online software. This will allow users to query a Lucas

County address, similar to a “Google Maps” search and locate nearby available vacant parcels. The

suitability of each parcel for small lot greening, green stormwater infrastructure, constructed wetlands,

and natural area restoration is represented through shaded symbology.

Discussion of results – Lucas County has over 25,000 vacant lots covering about 29,000 acres. However,

vacant land in Lucas County includes a wide variety of property types and potential end uses, many of

which are not immediately suitable for greening partnerships. The charts below breakdown the

ownership of Lucas County’s vacant parcels by the total number of lots and total area. Public parcels

offer the greatest immediate opportunity for greening. However, only approximately 1.5% of the vacant

land area is owned by a public entity. Most of these are smaller residential lots that have been subject to

tax foreclosure within Toledo’s older core neighborhoods. Privately owned vacant lots include many

properties that may eventually be subject to the tax foreclosure process, at which time they would come

under public ownership. The “Other” and “Conservation” categories account for nearly 90% of the

vacant land in Lucas County. Lot ownership of “other” identifies lands held by homeowner associations

or platted development and offers little opportunity for public sector greening initiatives. Conservation

ownership includes parks and protected areas, many of which are currently providing stormwater and

environmental benefit. However, these areas do offer opportunities for collaboration with public

entities for larger scale greening projects including natural area restoration and constructed wetlands.

83 acres of Conservation lots ranked highly suitable for constructed wetlands and 2,037 acres ranked

high for natural area restoration.

Vacant Lot Summary

Public Private Conservation Other Total

Number of parcels

2,124

8,651

473

14,152

25,400

Total Acres

410

2,687

10,451

15,412

28,960

The analysis reduced a large dataset of 25,000 vacant parcels covering 29,000 acres to only the most

feasible parcels for green infrastructure. Because weighting favored public lots over all other types of

ownership, the vast majority of lots suitable for greening are publically owned. These public lots offer

opportunities for greening and stormwater management of various scales. The chart below shows the

number of high ranking sites for each greening type. The number of sites and total acreage offers a

diverse array of greening options. Community members and homeowners can adopt lots for rain

gardens. Local governemnts can utilize larger lots for green infrastructure such as bioretention areas,

swales, and constructed wetlands. During infill development, lots can be assembled and purchased to

provide larger footprints for green infrastructure BMPs to meet local and state post-construction

stormwater management requirements. Conservatories and park districts can similalry assemble

publicy owned vacant lots for more impactful ecological restoration and recreation efforts.

The ranking system allows decision-makers to identify those sites that will provide the most benefit for

investment. However, this list is not intended to exclude lower-ranking sites from greening reuse. The

recommended approach to site selction is through use of the online maps to locate opportunities for

vacant lot greening with the ultimate decision made based upon local knowledge and stakeholder buy

in. For example, a site ranked “high” may not have a mechanism in place for maintenance or

stewardship, but a lower-ranking site may have maintenance commitment from a park district or

community group. In this example, the lower ranking site has a greater liklihood of long term success

and also will provide educational opportuinites.

High-ranking public parcels

green infrastructure

rain garden constructed

wetland natural

restoration

Number of parcels 1960 557 1741 37

Total Acres 187 53 211 112

Highlighted vacant lots

Five vacant-to-green opportunities were highlighted to showcase potential for vacant lot repurposing at

various scales. These sites have been used as learning exercises at a workshop and for an ecological

restoration class at Lourdes University. This exercise gave participants the opportunity to choose how

best to spend green infrastructure funds based on a number of criteria. The below images can be found

in full resolution in Attachment 2.

Process for proof-of-concept installation

The additional time resulting from the project extension allowed for better partner and community

coordination and ultimately a significantly more robust green infrastructure installation. $2,490 was

originally budgeted for the installation, but because of a strong partnership with the Land Bank and

additional grant funding from Partners for Clean Streams, over $15,000 was available for construction.

TMACOG and the project team began identifying potential sites for the demonstration installation based

partially upon early results of the suitability analysis, but greater emphasis was placed on the

involvement of an engaged community group. Additionally, the Lucas County Land Bank was able to

commit an additional $5,800 to the effort if the greening was coordinated with a property demolition

and was located in a high profile location in a neighborhood that has been actively working from the

grass roots on beautification and improvement efforts. Because TMACOG has worked with the Junction

Avenue Neighborhood since summer 2014 on planning for green infrastructure, the planning team

decided that a green infrastructure installation would provide the most benefit and the greatest

potential for long-term success. TMACOG then began working closely with Junction neighborhood

leaders to identify a demolition site that scored high in the analysis and was located in a high profile part

of the neighborhood. The group ultimately decided on a property scheduled for demolition in spring

2015 and located across the street from an elementary school and a church.

Construction was complete by the first week in November. The Land Bank has committed to providing at

least three years of maintenance at the site.

Project outcomes

One long-term benefit of this project is the creation and coordination of data that will better inform

local governments and the development community on the opportunities for green infrastructure on

under-utilized land. As vacant land sites are put to use in on-site green stormwater management, Lucas

County's waterways and Lake Erie will see reductions in the volume of stormwater entering waterways

and improvements in water quality.

A benefit that this project work has already realized is increased coordination with various projects in

the Toledo area. Below are a few projects that have already begun incorporating a "green infrastructure

on vacant land" component.

Coordination with the University of Toledo has resulted in hydrologic modeling and transferable

design templates for vacant parcels in Central Toledo. Through coordination with a senior-level

design class, students provided a detailed vacant lot green infrastructure design and cost-

analysis that was later used to acquire GLRI funding for implementation.

Two bioretention facilities were among several Maumee Watershed restoration projects for

which OEPA was granted GLRI funding . The proposed bioretention facilities will utilize vacant

land in central Toledo Neighborhood experiencing high levels of vacancy and blight. The project

will aggregate five publicly held vacant parcels to create a stormwater feature that will not only

reduce stormwater discharges to a combined sewer system, but will also provide a natural

amenity and learning opportunity for the community. The construction of this project is planned

for Summer 2016.

The vacant lots identified for this project are the foundation of the planning work completed for

TMACOG’s Junction Ave Urban Waters Project. Through this U.S. EPA funded project TMACOG

worked with a central Toledo community to plan for green infrastructure in their community.

The Land Bank has been working with the Center for Community Progress and the Trust for

Public Land on an Open Space Action Plan, building on the work of TMACOG and the Junction

Neighborhood to develop concrete and realistic plans to own, maintain, and pay for open space

investments in the Junction neighborhood. This work will utilize the vacant lots identified

through this analysis.

The City of Toledo has included green infrastructure into its combined sewer overflow long-term

control plan through the Toledo Waterways Initiative. For the first time, the CSO project will

include green infrastructure using vacant lots identified through this project and community

feedback.

TMACOG presented project outcomes at a May 26, 2015 workshop hosted by the University of

Toledo titled “Greening the Urban Landscape to Improve Water Quality.” The workshop was

attended by local environmental consultants, governmental decision makers, and stormwater

practitioners with the goal of encouraging the use of green infrastructure in Lucas and Wood

Counties. Attendees heard local case studies and participated in a site selections exercise in

which they ranked the potential for greening on five vacant lots identified by this project as

having high potential for one or more green infrastructure type. Details of the workshop and the

project presentation can be found at

http://www.tmacog.org/Environment/Green_Infrastructure/green_infrastructure.htm

Deliverables – Details and links to deliverables can be found in Attachment 3.

1. Project webpage that property owners and local decision-makers can reference containing: Map

and list of suitable sites for GI installation and lists of appropriate GI structures. The website will

also include links for implementation such as design specifications, lists of local GI partners, and

funding sources for future implementation. Webpage will be hosted by TMACOG.

2. GIS data of suitable sites provided to the Land Bank and the City of Toledo for GI planning

purposes. - Shapefiles are included on disc

3. A flow chart model of the process used to select sites for use in on-going site prioritization

4. "Proof of concept” green infrastructure installation on vacant property that will demonstrate

the feasibility of using vacant land as a cost-effective stormwater treatment mechanism.

5. At least one press release (preferably covering the installation of GI) will be prepared in

collaboration with TMACOG's Communications Department covering the goals of the project

and applicability to water quality in the area.

Lessons learned

This project has provided the opportunity for more collaboration and ongoing partnerships than ever

imagined by the project team. These partnerships will ultimately be instrumental in obtaining funding

for greening, gaining community buy-in, and ensuring the long term success of green infrastructure

practices on vacant lots across Lucas County and primarily in Toledo. Forming partnerships and gaining

stakeholder support is a time-consuming process. Nevertheless, the partnership aspects of any planning

or restoration project are crucial to success. While the deliverables of this project could have been

completed within the original project time frame, the project extension resulted in a more robust green

infrastructure practice that community members are proud to share as an educational, scientific

community gathering space.

Resources:

American Rivers. Low Impact Development Manual for the Lower Maumee and Ottawa River

Watersheds. 2010.

City of Baltimore. Green Pattern Handbook: Using vacant land to create greener neighborhoods. 2012.

City of Milwaukee. Vacant Lot Handbook: A guide to reusing, reinventing and adding value to

Milwaukee’s city-owned vacant lots.2013.

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. Green Infrastructure Plan for the Upper Rouge Tributary

Area.2013.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Rainwater and Land Development Manual. 2006, updated 2014.